John George Pattison
Private, 50th Battalion. Canadian Infantry
- Register No.
- 971 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 50th Battalion. Canadian Infantry (register: 50th Battalion, CEF) all CEF VCs →
- Date of action
- 10 April 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- the 2nd August, 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 8th September 1875 at Woolwich, London
- Died
- in action on 2nd June 1917 at Lens, France
- Memorial / grave
- at La Chaudiere Military Cemetery, France
Digest of citation
When an enemy machine gun, which had been holding up the advance of our troops and inflicting severe casualties on 10th April 1917 at Vimy Ridge, in France, Private Pattison, without regard for his own safety, ran forward, and making his way by jumping from shell-hole to shell-hole, managed to reach cover only 30 yards from the enemy machine-gun. From this point, under extremely heavy fire, he hurled bombs which killed and wounded some of the gun's crew. Private Pattison then rushed forward, overcoming and bayoneting the surviving five gunners. His action made further advance to the objective possible
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
PATTISON, John George. (reg No. 971).
Private. 50th Battalion. Canadian Infantry * London Gazetted on the 2nd August, 1917.
Born on 8th September 1875 at Woolwich, London.
Killed in action on 2nd June 1917 at Lens, France.
Memorial on grave at La Chaudiere Military Cemetery, France.
Digest of Citation reads: When an enemy machine gun, which had been holding up the advance of our troops and inflicting severe casualties on 10th April 1917 at Vimy Ridge, in France, Private Pattison, without regard for his own safety, ran forward, and making his way by jumping from shell-hole to shell-hole, managed to reach cover only 30 yards from the enemy machine-gun. From this point, under extremely heavy fire, he hurled bombs which killed and wounded some of the gun's crew. Private Pattison then rushed forward, overcoming and bayoneting the surviving five gunners. His action made further advance to the objective possible.
* Alberta Regiment.
Additional information:. Army No. 808887, Private Pattison was the son of Mr and Mrs Henry Alfred Patterson. He was educated at Clifton Hill School. Deptford. He emigrated to Canada in 1906 where he married Sophia Allen having four children, Ethel Mary; Henry John; Helena Margaret and George Alfred.. They lived at, 1622, West Avenue, West Mount, Calgary. An excerpt from the letter written by it Lieutenant Thomas H Prescott to Private Pattison's father on 7th August 1917 says, "Your letter regarding your son, J. G. Pattison was sent to me for an answer, as I was his officer on 2nd June, when he was killed. It is with very great regret that I tell you this, as I have been his officer ever since he and his son joined the 137th Battalion in Calgary, and I knew him not only as the finest type of soldier but also as a friend. You are probably now aware that he has been awarded the greatest of honours, the Victoria Cross, for bravery. What a great pity he cannot be here to receive it. "Personally I feel very badly in this matter, as we cannot afford to lose such men, but he died as he would have wished, in action, and while we were administering it a severe defeat to the enemy."
Additional information
Army No. 808887, Private Pattison was the son of Mr and Mrs Henry Alfred Patterson. He was educated at Clifton Hill School. Deptford. He emigrated to Canada in 1906 where he married Sophia Allen having four children, Ethel Mary; Henry John; Helena Margaret and George Alfred.. They lived at, 1622, West Avenue, West Mount, Calgary. An excerpt from the letter written by it Lieutenant Thomas H Prescott to Private Pattison's father on 7th August 1917 says, "Your letter regarding your son, J. G. Pattison was sent to me for an answer, as I was his officer on 2nd June, when he was killed. It is with very great regret that I tell you this, as I have been his officer ever since he and his son joined the 137th Battalion in Calgary, and I knew him not only as the finest type of soldier but also as a friend. You are probably now aware that he has been awarded the greatest of honours, the Victoria Cross, for bravery. What a great pity he cannot be here to receive it. "Personally I feel very badly in this matter, as we cannot afford to lose such men, but he died as he would have wished, in action, and while we were administering it a severe defeat to the enemy."
* Alberta Regiment.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: at La Chaudiere Military Cemetery, France
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